The present invention generally relates to display assemblies, and more particularly to a display assembly wherein color elements for a given display element or pixel of the display assembly are premixed and transmitted along a light guide assembly to that pixel providing a desired color instead of utilizing separate red, green and blue elements.
Liquid crystal displays (LCDs) are used in a variety of electronic devices including portable computers, flat panel monitors, television, and the like. Present LCDs typically employ either passive matrix or active matrix technologies. Passive matrix LCDs employ an array of liquid crystal cells that are controlled by transistors outside of the display area wherein one transistor controls an entire row or column of pixels within the display. Passive matrix LCDs provide good contrast for monochrome displays. However, their resolution is weaker for color screens. Passive matrix LCDs are also difficult to view from angles other than straight on angles. Active matrix LCDs, on the other hand, utilize an individual circuit to control the output of each pixel of the display. Active matrix LCDs typically employ an array of thin film transistors (TFT) integrated within the display area, at least one per liquid crystal cell, for individually controlling each cell. Consequently, active matrix LCDs provide better resolution than passive matrix LCDs, and are viewable from all angles. However, because of their increased complexity, active matrix LCDs are more complex to manufacture and, as a result, substantially more costly.
Wherein color is desired, each pixel of both passive and active matrix LCDs utilize separate red, green and blue sub-elements comprised of a red, green, and blue filter and at least three liquid crystal cells for varying the intensity of light transmitted through each element relying on the human eye to mix the red, green and blue light components provided so that the viewer perceives the desired color. However, because the viewer""s eye must mix the separate light components the fidelity of such displays is limited. Further, color LCDs, especially color active matrix LCDs, are extremely complex. For example, a typical color active matrix LCD having a 1600xc3x971200 display (1600 columns by 1200 rows of pixels) would have over 5.76 million elements. Similarly, because each pixel contains integral circuitry (for example, three TFTS), the density of pixels in such displays is limited.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide a display assembly yielding a higher fidelity image than is possible using existing LCDs by premixing the color components of colors to be displayed by each pixel of the display assembly instead of employing separate red, green and blue elements. It would be further advantageous to provide a display assembly capable of having an equal or greater pixel density than existing LCDs while employing a reduced number of elements, thereby making the display assembly more robust, easier to manufacture, and less costly.
The present invention is directed to a display assembly wherein color components for each display element or pixel of the display assembly are premixed so that the display elements provide a true color instead of separate red, green and blue components of that color. In this manner, the display assembly of the present invention is capable of providing a higher fidelity image than is possible using existing display technologies such as LCDs or the like.
In accordance with a first aspect of the invention, the display assembly includes an optical shutter assembly including a plurality of individually actuateable shutter elements capable of substantially allowing or blocking transmission of pulses of light conducted to the optical shutter assembly by a light guide assembly. Selected shutter elements are actuated in a predetermined sequence for allowing transmission of each pulse of light through the shutter assembly so as to sequentially illuminate selected groups of display elements wherein the viewer""s persistence of vision allows the viewer to form an image on the display. In an exemplary embodiment, the display assembly includes a light source suitable for emitting pulses of light and a display surface having a plurality of display elements formed by the intersection of light conducting columns of the light guide assembly and shutter row elements of the optical shutter assembly. Each light conducting column conducts pulses of light received from the light source along an axis of the display surface. A color adjustment assembly adjusts the color of pulses of light conducted by that light conducting column so that each display element of the display assembly provides a true color.
In accordance with a one aspect of the invention, an exemplary display assembly may utilize shutter elements to selectively reflect coherent light to a display surface such as a diffuser or the like. In an exemplary embodiment, the display assembly includes a light source capable of emitting a pulse of generally coherent light. A plurality of light conducting columns conduct pulses of generally coherent light received from said light source along an axis of the display assembly. Each light conducting column includes a color adjustment assembly for adjusting the color of pulses of generally coherent light conducted by the light conducting column. A plurality of shutter rows selectively reflects the pulses of generally coherent light conducted from said light source via said plurality of light conducting columns. Selected ones of the shutter rows are actuated in synchronization with the pulses of generally coherent light emitted from said light source allowing reflection of said generally coherent pulses of light for illuminating a display surface such as a diffuser, screen, wall or the like.
It is to be understood that both the forgoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention as claimed. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate an embodiment of the invention and together with the general description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.